Tuesday, July 15, 2014

When I first came across the work of Lee Price on the Illustration Friday blog I was blown away. I found it hard to believe that what was before me on screen were paintings and not photographs. The detail is impeccable and the brushstrokes are only visible if one looks very, very carefully.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Yellow is the most fitting colour for this week. I’ve been editing my way through a photo shoot I did for Gwen in which the colour yellow plays a very prominent role. I’m also preparing to be bridesmaid at my sister’s wedding on Friday in which I may…or may not…be wearing yellow. Shhhh. And yesterday I tie-dyed some teeny tiny babygros for my niece in a pretty shade of sunshine.

So yes, for the week that’s in it, yellow is the colour. Happy Monday friends.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

*and survive it

On the last Saturday of June we showered my sister with love, embarrassment and alcohol for her hen party. She has three bridesmaids, myself and two friends from different groups. When she first asked us to be part of the wedding party I was the only one based in Dublin, Aisling was in New York and Ruth in London. This coupled with the fact that the three of us all know Aoife in totally different ways was a minor logistical challenge. But we made the most of it. Aisling moved home from New York and Ruth kept up to date via whatsapp and skype.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Have a lovely weekend friends, I hope you get to kiss the people you love, eat the things you’re craving and relaaax. I’m working tomorrow (the first Saturday in AGES, so I won’t complain) and on Sunday I plan on doing nothing at all. How about you guys?

I don’t normally do round ups of a Friday…but I really love with other people do. So here’s a few of things that have been occupying my million open tabs this week. I hope you enjoy them :)

I’m currently listening to this mixtape on repeat. I get obsessive about (usually music-related) things and listen to them over and over. It drives Rich crazy.

I just baked these chocolate avocado biscuits. More like brownies. I think I might prefer my avocado with a squeeze of lime, a sprinkle of salt on some crusty toast…they were interesting though.

I bought my first piece from Cos for the opening of the degree show (more on that coming soon) and I can’t help but lust after everything else in store. Particularly this. And this. And allllll of these too..

This article really struck a chord with me. I hadn’t thought about it before but yes, this happens all the time. (Thanks Jaki!)

I’ve been minding a little dude for the past couple of weeks (^^^see his teeny toes up there ^^^) and this week he accompanied me on a photoshoot! He chewed right through an empty box of portra 400 so the kid’s already got good taste.

This little engagement story is so cute (and she’s also the kind of deadly designer I hope to become).

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Tip #1

Keep your room clean. Having a sanctuary to call your own is of the utmost importance. Put art on the walls, rugs on the floor and keep your deodorant in a drawer, or failing that, neatly on your dresser.

The cleaning part is never really fun and I always get sidetracked by seven hundred layers of nostalgia and old photographs and love letters but that is all part of the process.

I wake more rested and fall asleep more calmly when the floor isn’t covered in seven layers of shit and I know that there are clean underwear, tights and t-shirts ready and waiting for morning. It’s the simple things, right?

It is likely that this will be my last season of living in my family home and so I am documenting the ups and downs, frustrations and joys in this space as it all comes to a close.

Monday, June 30, 2014

My sister and I swam—a term used very loosely in this country—in the Irish Sea, for the first time this summer, a couple of weeks ago. After work we summoned some courage, ignored the breeze and braced ourselves. No matter how warm the day has been or how sweaty and hot and bothered one feels the sea in this part of the world is freezing. It is a take-your-breath-away kind of cold that must be experienced to be truly understood. The tide was at such a point that we had no choice but to launch fully, wholly and all at once into the dark depths of salty water. It was cold. I felt like my lungs were going to give up on me for a moment. And then we got out. In and out. A quick dip, so they say.

We had a repeat performance the following night in a different location. This time the tide was way out and so we had to wade further and further from shore, the water creeping slowly, painfully up our legs. Eventually we took the very literal plunge, splashed around for a couple of minutes and promptly returned to dry land.

Have you ever been asked “why do you keep hitting yourself with that hammer?” Of course, you probably weren’t actually hitting yourself with a hammer at the time, but you must be doing something with the expected response of “because it feels so good when I stop.” (No idea if this is a common thing, but it’s definitely something said around my house).

Well, that’s why we get in the sea, because it feels so good to get out.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

The degree show is over. The crowds came and went. The awkward conversations were had. The results are in. The sun has been shining for days. And everybody is pretty damn happy.

But for a second, let’s backtrack to when had just finished our assessments. We wanted to celebrate, to congratulate ourselves for surviving and finally enjoy some time together before the madness of the show set in. We all arrived—late, as usual—to William’s house and sat outside on the street in the warm evening. It felt european. We’re so not used to this nice weather.

I love these people.

Having spent between thirty an forty hours a week sitting next to or across from these faces has made the shit days good and the good days excellent. We have taught each other so much more than our tutors ever could have. I feel lucky to be a part of a group of such talented, intelligent and kind individuals. It’ll be strange not going to college and seeing these faces (and lots more I didn’t capture on film) every day but I have no doubt that we’ll stick together.

All of us pretty much live on the internet so we really have no excuse ;)